Kiwi plant named &#39;Cristal&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinctive kiwi plant variety of the species  Actinidia deliciosa , named ‘CRISTAL’ is described. The new variety is characterized by a larger and heavier fruit and lower acidity pulp than ‘Hayward’ variety. The hair of the fruit of ‘CRISTAL’ variety presents a weak adhesion to the epidermis, among other features. The shape and uniformity of the fruit facilitates its packing.

Latin name of the genus and species: Actinidia deliciosa.

Variety denomination: ‘CRISTAL’.

BACKGROUND

Cultivated kiwi plants are dioecious deciduous vines of Actinidia deliciosa. The genus Actinidia is originated from China and parts of Asia. Nowadays several species are cultivated outside their native range and known varieties or cultivars of Kiwi plants are commercially grown in many countries including Chile.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of Actinidia deliciosa named ‘CRISTAL’. It corresponds to the finding of a new and distinguishing adult plant in a ‘Hayward’ orchard, located in Parcela No. 36, Los Cristales, Curico, Chile. The new variety has been asexually reproduced due to its several advantageous characteristics from other kiwi plants.

The new variety is characterized by a larger and heavier fruit, sweeter and lower acidity pulp than ‘Hayward’ variety, and less seeds than ‘Hayward’. The hair of the fruit of kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety presents a weak adhesion to the epidermis, among other features. The shape and uniformity of the fruit facilitates its packing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs in full color illustrate the new kiwi plant ‘CRISTAL’ variety as well as comparisons with ‘Hayward’ and ‘Bruno’ varieties.

FIG. 1 illustrates examples of typical fruit harvested from ‘CRISTAL’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a typical fruit of ‘CRISTAL’ as compared to a typical fruit of ‘Hayward’ and a typical fruit of ‘Bruno’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-section and a side view of a typical fruit of ‘CRISTAL’ as compared to a typical fruit of ‘Hayward’.

FIG. 4 illustrates typical flowers of ‘CRISTAL’.

FIG. 5 illustrates typical foliage, hanging fruit and stems fruit of ‘CRISTAL’ on the vine.

Conventional techniques were used for capturing images/photographs. It might occur that colors may appear different from actual colors, due to light reflectance; however the images material provided are as accurate as possible by the used conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new and distinct variety of Actinidia deliciosa named ‘CRISTAL’ which has several advantageous characteristics from other kiwi plants, as mentioned above.

The new Kiwi plant variety corresponds to the finding of a new and distinguishing plant in a ‘Hayward’ orchard.

The mother plant of kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety was discovered in 2001, by simple observation. The discovered plant fruit corresponded to an adult plant present in an orchard established in 1987. The plant showed a high fruit yield, with larger size and a desirable shape for packaging purposes. During 2010 the new plant began to be asexually propagated, establishing a first orchard of 79 plants, which were vegetatively propagated and grafted on ‘Hayward’ rootstocks.

If compared the kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety versus ‘Hayward’, both the plant and the fruit are different: the ‘CRISTAL’ fruit is heavier. In addition, a kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ plant yields more units of fruit than a ‘Hayward’ plant. Both characteristics result in that the production of kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety is almost double than ‘Hayward’.

Other differences with ‘Hayward’ are that kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety has a creamy green color and its flavor is sweeter and aromatic.

The new kiwi plant ‘CRISTAL’ variety has been continuously asexually reproduced by cuttings from 2010 on. The distinguishing characteristics of the variety have been stably maintained in the propagated plants, as was shown by 79 plants, from which more than 2,300 new plants, covering about 3-4 hectares, have been propagated during 2017. The new variety has been asexually reproduced by grafting into rootstocks of ‘Hayward’.

Male pollinizers suitable for kiwi plant ‘CRISTAL’ variety may include, but are not limited to ‘Matua’.

Kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ Variety Characteristics

The following table (Table 1) describes the main physical characteristics of Kiwi plant ‘CRISTAL’ variety. The Horticultural terminology applied below is used in accordance with UPOV guidelines for kiwi (Test Guidelines—TG/98/6—Actinidia 2001-04-04, available at http://www.upov.int/en/publications/tg-rom/tg098/tg_98_6. pdf).

TABLE 1 UPOV No. UPOV Characteristics for Kiwi ‘CRISTAL’  4 Plant: vigor Strong 26 Leaf blade: shape Broad ovate 27 Leaf blade: shape of apex Acute 32 Leaf blade: green color of upper side Light 51 Petal: curvature of apex Strongly expressed 63 Fruit: size Very large 64 Fruit: general shape Oblong 66 Fruit: general shape of stylar end Slightly depressed 68 Fruit: shape of shoulder at stalk end Squared 76 Fruit: type of hairiness Hirsute 91 Time of beginning of flowering Late

Table 2 provides the features according to the Table of characteristics for Actinidia (Test Guidelines—TG/98/6—Actinidia 2001-04-04, see above) defined by UPOV for Kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety. The UPOV characteristics correspond to botanical terms known in the art for description of plant varieties.

TABLE 2 UPOV No. Characteristics State of expression  5 Young shoot: Hairiness Present  6 Young shoot: Density of hair Medium  7 Young shoot: Type of hairiness Hirsute  8 Young shoot: Anthocyanin coloration Strong of growing tip  9 Stem: Thickness Medium 11 Stem: Roughnes of bark Rough 12 Stem: Hairiness Present 13 Stem: Density of hair Medium 14 Stem: Type of hairiness Bristly 15 Stem: Size of lenticels Small 16 Stem: Number of lenticels Few 19 Stem: Size of bud support Small to medium 20 Stem: Profile of proximal face of bud Straight support (if sloping) 21 Stem: Presence of bud cover Absent 22 Stem: Size of hole in bud cover Small 23 Stem: Leaf sear Shallow 26 Leaf blade: Shape Broad ovate 27 Leaf blade: Shape of apex Acute 28 Leaf blade: Arrangement of basal lobes Slightly apart 29 Leaf blade: Hair on upper side Absent or very sparse 30 Leaf blade: Hair on lower side Medium 31 Leaf blade: Puckering/Blistering on Medium upper side 34 Leaf blade: Presence of variegation Absent 37 Leaf: Ratio petiole length/blade length Absent 38 Petiole: Density of hair Dense 39 Petiole: Anthocyanin coloration on Weak tipper side 40 Flower bud: anthocyanin coloration Medium of protruding petal end 41 Inflorescence: Predominant number  1 of flowers 42 Flower stalk: Length Long 43 Flower stalk: Density of hair Dense 44 Flower stalk: Length of hair Medium 45 Flower: Number of sepals >5 47 Sepal: Density of hair Sparse 48 Sepal: Length of hair Short 49 Flower: Diameter Very large 50 Flower: Arrangement of petals (viewed Overlapping from beneath) 51 Petal: Curvature of apex Strongly expressed 52 Petal: Type of coloration (adaxial side) Bicolored 54 Petal: Different shades of color Present 60 Styles: Number Many 62 Styles: Attitude Horizontal 63 Fruit: Size Very large 64 Fruit: General shape Oblong 65 Fruit: Shape in cross-section (at median) Oblate 66 Fruit: General shape at stylar end Slightly depressed 67 Fruit: Presence of calyx ring Weakly expressed 68 Fruit: Shape of shoulder at stalk end Squared 69 Fruit: Length of stalk Long 70 Fruit: Ratio stalk length/fruit length Large 71 Fruit: Persistence of sepals Present 72 Fruit: Conspicuousness of lenticels on Inconspicuous skin 74 Fruit: Hairiness of skin Absent 75 Fruit: Density of hair Medium 76 Fruit: Type of hairiness Hirsute 77 Fruit: Distribution of hairs Evenly spread 79 Fruit: Adherence of hair to skin (when Weak rubbed) 84 Fruit: Diameter of core relative to fruit Large 85 Fruit: General shape of core (in cross Transverse elliptic section) 86 Fruit: Fluting of core (in cross section) Present 88 Fruit: Sweetness Medium 89 Fruit: Acidity Medium 90 Time of vegetative bud burst Late 91 Time of beginning flowering Late 92 Time of maturity for harvest Late

Further, the following measurements are typical of kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety, these are all data collected from the 79 plants established in 2010:

Plant

The average height of the ‘CRISTAL’ plant is 1.9 m over vine structure. The plant has a stem diameter of 12 mm when reaching 1 meter of the yearly growth (50% of the year total sucker length). The stem length can be 2-2.8 m or more. The average trunk diameter is 100 mm (height=1 m). The average trunk length is 1.65 m up to the origin of the first arm. The trunk texture has stripes in bark and the natural peeling is less than ‘Hayward’.

The stem has a low number of lenticels, similar to ‘Meteor’, arranged all over the surface, in disorder, not displayed in straight lines, of brownish color. The shape of the lenticels is elongated ovoid, very few are rounded. The lenticels have an average length of 0.5-1 mm, width of 0.3-0.5 mm and a minimum density of 5-6 per cm².

Foliage

The leaf of kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety is large, dark green, pointed like ‘Tomuri’, smaller if compared to ‘Hayward’. The leaf average length is 160 mm, and the leaf average length to the petiole cavity, which is an open cavity, is 150 mm to the end of the midrib. The leaf average width is 170 mm. The leaf shape is round, with an average apical protuberance of 15 mm. The average leaf apex is 15 mm length. The leaf base is open in the petiole cavity. The leaf union is petiolated, with an average petiole length of 85 mm. The leaf margin is ciliated, with cilia separated by 2-3 mm. The leaf upper surface texture is a smooth layer and the lower surface has cotton-like texture.

Flowers

The typical flower of kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety has 6 sepals, displaying 6 to 7 petals. The bud color is beige. The bud opening is 4-6 days after ‘Hayward’. The flower diameter is very large, same as ‘Hayward’. The flower depth is shallow, with petals curved towards the lower part (towards the stalk). The flower has overlapping petals. The petals color is yellowish white. The style attitude is horizontal, similar to ‘Bruno’. The flower has a high number of styles. The ovary color is greenish white. The number of sepals is higher than 5. Further in kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety, flowers are convex, whereas in ‘Hayward’ flowers are concave.

Fruit

The fruit average weight of kiwi variety ‘CRISTAL’ is 180 g. The average length is 70-75 mm. The average diameter is 50 mm×60 mm. The core diameter is 20 mm×35 mm. The general shape is ovoid, elongated. The cross-section at median is slightly oval-shaped. The stylar end shape is pointed. The shoulder shape is oval-shaped. The calyx ring is present, large and sunken, exhibiting few seeds. The calyx ring expression is weak. The skin at harvest is light brown. The skin hairiness of the fruit is medium. The hairiness adherence on the fruit skin is weak. The fruit core is oval-shaped. The fruit contains lenticels in high density, with a size of 0.3 mm, separated by 0.3 mm; the number of locules per fruit is 33-35. The length of locules is 4 mm, with a width of 1-1.25 mm. The ripe seed color is black. The withered seed color is dark brown. The fruit stem has a length of 50-65 mm, a diameter of 2.5-3.5 mm and a smooth, cotton-like texture.

The fruit stalk has a length of 50-60 mm, a diameter of 2-3 mm and displays a rigid, semi-hard texture.

Table 3 provides the color description is for Kiwi ‘CRISTAL’ variety according to UPOV descriptors.

TABLE 3 UPOV No. Characteristics Color 10 Stem: Color of shoot on sunny side Red brown 17 Stem: Color of lenticels Brownish 32 Leaf blade: Color of upper side Light 33 Leaf blade: Color of lower side Light green 46 Sepal: General color Brown 53 Petal: Main color on adaxial side Yellowish white 58 Filament: Color White 59 Anther: Color Yellow 61 Styles: Color Whitish yellow 73 Fruit: Color of skin Greenish brown 78 Fruit: Color of hairs Dark brown 80 Fruit: Color of skin at Light brown maturity for consumption 82 Fruit: Color of outer pericarp Medium green 83 Fruit: Color of inner pericarp Medium green 87 Fruit: Color of core Greenish white

Other Characteristics

This new variety has been assayed for Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) presence and it is free of this pathogen. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Actinidia deliciosa plant named ‘CRISTAL’ as herein illustrated and described. 